Discipline for JusticeDiscipline for JusticeThorough analysis and practical suggestions for Christians seeking lifestyles that promote justice and peace.
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What Jesus Really Cares About
2007-06-20 05:42:00 In a previous post from June 2, I made the claim that Jesu s Christ concerned himself with money more than any other single topic - a claim, I must confess, that was based more on speculation and wishful thinking than anything else.Today I decided to find out what Jesus really did emphasize - in his actions and in his teachings. I made a survey of the three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), excluding the birth and Passion narratives. I placed each passage into one of the categories below, based on what I felt was the main idea. As it turns out, I was wrong. The results:1. Healing of Physical Ailments 332. Handling of Money/Property 263. Hearing God’s Word 164. Proclaiming God’s Word/Evangelism 145. Worship/Prayer 125. Casting Out Demons/Spirits 127. Feeding/Hospitality 117. Humility 119. Repentance 910. Marriage/Divorce 6 *10. Keeping Sabbath 612. Fasting 512. Violence/Retaliation 514. Judging Others 415. Forgiveness 316. General Sexuality 1 *17. Homosexuality 0Note: Th... More About: Really , Ally , Ares
Corporate Clash - The Follow-Up Letters
2007-06-18 04:32:00 Last Wednesday (June 13), BP defeated ExxonMobil in the inaugural "Corporate Clash ." As promised, I have written a letter to BP explaining why they will be retaining my business and one to ExxonMobil telling them why I won't be buying their gasoline anymore. Here's what I wrote:Dear BP,Congratulations! As part of a faith-based program to hold corporations accountable for their behavior, I have compared BP against ExxonMobil in the areas of economic justice, human rights, and environmental protecton. Your company was the winner, and you will be receiving my patronage at your service stations.The main factor in your victory was the bold stance you have taken in recognizing the dangers of global warming and in calling for positive change in the energy industry. ExxonMobil still denies that global warming even exists.Despite your victory, I still have some concerns about your record - most significantly for the way your Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeine in Central Asia is displacing residen... More About: Letters , Lash , Rate
Corporate Clash: BP vs. ExxonMobil
2007-06-14 06:45:00 Here it is, folks! The very first "DFJ Head-to-Head Corporate Clash ." In what will become a reuglar feature, I will match up two companies that offer competing products that I use on a regular basis. I will compare their records on economic responsibility, human rights, the environment, and other relevant issues. The winner gets the privilege of my business!Tonight, the product is gasoline. BP and ExxonMobi l are the brands I am most likely to use, so let's throw them in the ring and see what happens.I used two primary websites for my research - Responsible Shopper and CorpWath - plus a few random Google searches. My methods are not scientific, as I am merely trying to get a flavor for the major issues that are out there.I found a few positive things about BP:1) They have joined the U.S. Climate Action Partnership in working for reduced greenhouse gas emissions.2) They ranked second out of 64 Fortune 500 companies in the 2006 Global Accountability Rating. I couldn't find out how th... More About: Lash , Rate
Lyrically Speaking - Songs About Money
2007-06-12 05:16:00 Here is a somewhat random collection of excerpts from songs about money, wealth, poverty, and economic life in general. Enjoy!You know that we are living in a material worldAnd I am a material girl- Madonna, “Material Girl”It's money that matters, hear what I sayIt's money that matters in the USAIt's money that mattersNow you know that it's trueIt's money that matters whatever you do- Randy Newman, “It’s Money That Matters”If money can’t buy happiness,I guess I’ll have to rent it.- Weird Al Yankovic, “This Is The Life”She calls out to the man on the streetSir, can you help me?Its cold and I've nowhere to sleep,Is there somewhere you can tell me?He walks on, doesnt look backHe pretends he can't hear herStarts to whistle as he crosses the streetSeems embarrassed to be thereOh think twice,It's another day for you and me in paradise- Phil Collins, “Another Day in Paradise”Invisible people with invisible handsHolding very obvious collection cansAnonymous peo... More About: Songs , Speaking , Peak , Ally
Model of Discipline - The Cynics
2007-06-11 05:07:00 What would you think of a man who lived in a bathtub on the street? Who never wore clothing of any kind? Who carried out all of his bodily functions (and I mean all) right out in full public view? Who refused to work for a living and survived on begging from strangers? And who spent most of his time standing on street corners harassing people, criticizing society, and demanding that everybody join him in his deviant lifestyle?In today’s North American society, a person who tried to do this would probably be bounced from jail to jail and mental institution to mental institution. In ancient Greece, the man who fit this description was Diogenes, the most well-known of the Cynic philosophers.The Cynics were founded by a student of Socrates in the 5th century B.C.E. Their name is not related to our English word “cynical,” but instead comes from the Greek word for “dog.” The idea was to “live like a dog” - moment-by-moment, according to one’s true nature and not according ... More About: Model , Discipline , Line , Disc
Sermon - Food and Faith
2007-06-10 05:25:00 (preached at Honea Path Presbyterian Church - June 10, 2007)Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.’ So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.’ As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’ But she said, ‘As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.’ Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord the ... More About: Food , Faith , Sermon
How Did I Get Here? - Part 4
2007-06-08 19:06:00 (Please read parts 1, 2, and 3 - April 7, April 11, and May 1)Returning to seminary with a renewed sense of purpose, I began to truly appreciate academic study for the first time in my life. At last, I was drawing connections between my class work and the real world.Exciting things were happening in my personal life as well. I became part of a close-knit group of friends that remain close to this day. I got back into shape for running and finished a marathon. Most importantly, I met the woman who was to become my wife.By the time I walked across the stage and received my diploma in May of 2002, it seemed like I had it all. Margaret I were eager to start our lives in Savannah, Georgia, where I would begin my first ministry position.There was only one snag in the plan: I still had those splinters in the back of my mind. I was still haunted by the scenes of desperate poverty in Mexico. I was still bothered by the crass commercialism of American culture. And I still struggled with guilt... More About: Part
Eye-Opening Statistic of the Week: The Branding of Our Children
2007-06-07 04:14:00 The average 10-year old (in the United Stat es) can recognize between 300 to 400 different product brands. (from "Consuming Faith" by Tom Beaudoin; Sheed&Ward, 2003 - he's quoting a corporate marketer who was boasting of the ability to influence children's buying habits)This is a deceptively shocking statistic. Imagine that a 10-year old could name three brands of each of the following products:Shoes, clothing, soft drinks, beer, candy, cookies, cigarettes, restaurants, automobiles, cell phone providers, computers, televisions, grocery stores, fast food, insurance, medication, deodorant, big box retailers, toothpaste, hotels, shampoo, potato chips, pizza, tires, paint, tools, airlines, and gas stations.That would seem like quite a lot. You might think that the child had been watching WAY too much televsion. But that's only 87 brands - about one fourth as many as the typical child actually knows.How many Bible verses is the typical 10-year old famili... More About: Children , Branding , Opening , Week
Over-Mediated, Part V - Media Sabbath
2007-06-06 04:22:00 This Discipline is the culmination of the series of posts entitled “Over-Media ted.” Here are some of the highlights of this five-part look at how our media culture is changing our lives and challenging our faith:1) Today, we lead media-based lives that would have been unrecognizable to people 150 years ago.2) Our media technologies influence us more than we realize. They interpret the world for us. They decide what information is worth knowing. They seek to tell us what is true.3) As our level of mediation increases, we lose the ability to distinguish between what is real and what is representational.4) Advancing media technology has the potential to move us away from natural, authentic human existence. We can become our own gods, seeking to replace reality with our own virtual creation.5) The virtual worlds we are creating can distract us from our calling in the real world. We can forget that we are still children of God and still responsible for the needs of all human beings.6... More About: Part , Mediate , Abba , Sabbath
A Word From The Bishops
2007-06-04 05:25:00 As a follow up to "One-Note Johnny," here is an excerpt from "Economic Justice for All", a publication put out in 1986 from the National Conference of Catholic Bish ops :From the Scriptures and church teaching, we learn that the justice of a society is tested by the treatment of the poor. The justice that was the sign of God's covenant with Israel was measured by how the poor and unprotected - the widow, the orphan, and the stranger - were treated. The kingdom that Jesus proclaimed in his word and ministry excludes no one.Throughout Israel's history and in early Christianity, the poor are agents of God's transforming power. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, therefore he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor" (Luke 4:18). This was Jesus' first public utterance. Jesus takes the side of those most in need. In the Last Judgment, so dramatically described in Matthew's Gospel, we are told that we will be judged according to how we respond to the hungry, th... More About: Word , Shops , Bishop
One-Note Johnny, Part 2
2007-06-02 20:51:00 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. - Luke 4:18-19Here are the top 10 reasons why I believe that issues of poverty and wealth are the most critical issues facing the church today:1) Poverty is a life and death matter.2) Poverty affects a staggering amount of people.3) Poverty disproportionately affects children.4) Poverty is present in nearly every community in our nation and in every country in the world.5) Poverty could be greatly reduced if we only had the political will to do so.6) Poverty affects so many other aspects of human welfare - health, education, the environment, etc.7) Poverty lowers the quality of life for all. Nations with lowest gap between rich and poor have the highest life expectancy, the highest literacy, the least crime, etc.8) The Bible talks ab... More About: Note , Part , Johnny
One-Note Johnny
2007-06-01 17:57:00 Note: Other than updates on how I am practicing the Disciplines, this blog does not usually seek to reflect my personal feelings. But in light of recent comments made on “An Open Letter to DAIO” (see May 26), I feel I must clarify a few things.When I was in seminary, I would often visit my parents and engage in long theological discussions with my father, who also happens to be a Presbyterian minister. At that time, I had just been introduced to the world of liberation theology and the concept of “preferential treatment for the poor.”For me, all other church-related topics seemed irrelevant. I thought that all Christians should have a singular focus on overcoming the social, political, and economic structures that cause so many in the world to suffer in poverty.Getting frustrated with my persistence, my father finally ended the discussion, calling me a “one-note Johnny .” He had tried in vain to convince me that there are many other things beyond social justice with which... More About: Note
Appetite for Destruction
2007-06-01 05:07:00 There is a good lifeRight across the green fieldAnd each generationStares at it from afarBut we keep no checkOn our appetitesSo the green fields turn to brownLike paper in fire- from “Paper In Fire” by John Mellancamp(Note: All gas prices in this article have been adjusted for inflation.)On December 12, 2002, the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States bottomed out at $1.22. For the next week, our average daily petroleum consumption was 20.2 million barrels a day.Days after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, prices reached a then-record $3.13. In response, Americans used 20.9 million barrels a day.Just three months after Katrina, prices slipped all the way down to $2.20, and we found ourselves consuming 20.5 million barrels each day.Prices spiked again in early August of 2006 at $3.01 per gallon, but Americans were undaunted, increasing consumption to 21.3 millions barrels a day.January of this year saw another dip, this time to $2.24 per gallon. C... More About: Destruction , Petite , Petit
Materialism - circa 1976
2007-05-30 03:01:00 I recently picked up several excellent used books on consumerism and social justice. Dating from the sixties and seventies, these works have actually grown more relevant in the decades since they were written. Here are some excerpts from "Good News For Rich and Poor" by Harvey Seifert (United Church Press, 1976), with my updates in italics:Except for a few obviously lethal items, we commonly assume that it is morally acceptable to buy whatever we can afford. Now we are recognizing the limited resources of the earth. It is becoming increasingly clear that if we continue to maintain the same material standard of living we have had in the past, we will condemn others to starvation. This is as certain a source of death as is shooting. Under present world conditions, the level of consumer demand in industrialized countries is immoral. (73)From 1979 to 1995, per capita consumer spending in the United States increased between 30% and 70%, depending on which measurement tool is used. (from ... More About: Material , Rial , Teri , Materialism , Circa
Practice What You Preach - Year 1 Wrap-Up
2007-05-28 21:52:00 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:12-14Pentecost has come and gone, meaning that my first year of Discipline is complete. Since Pentecost of 2006, I have been practicing "Giving It All Away" (see posts from April 12 and May 5).I must say that I am pleased with the results. I saved $147.00 in the Easter Cycle, which brings my grand total for the entire year to $539.09. Since I'm doing the "half-and-half" plan, that means that $269.55 has gone to charity and $269.54 has gone into a savings account for my children's college.Which brings me today to the beginning of Year 2. I will continue "Giving It All Away," but I also pla... More About: Practice , Year 1 , Wrap
An Open Letter to DAIO
2007-05-27 07:51:00 I don't want to make a big deal out of this, but I will no longer be participating in the DAIO community. I thought I should post this letter so that no one would think I had been offended by any particular person, article, or comment on the site.Instead, I have become frustrated about the stories that draw the most attention: "hot-button" issues such as homosexuality and evolution. In this regard, DAIO is a microcosm of the Presbyterian Church in general. There has been some discussion about what I feel are more pressing issues of poverty and social justice - but not nearly enough, in my opinion.I like this format, and I thank Shawn for creating it for us - but I find myself spending too much time reading and responding to things that aren't really that important to me. In the future, I plan on spending this time reading and writing about the issues for which I care most deeply.Sincerely,Jim Moss, aka "justjim" More About: Open , Letter , Open Letter
Over-Mediated, Part IV - Babel and Pentecost
2007-05-27 05:21:00 (This sermon was preached at Honea Path Presbyterian Church on Pentecost Sunday - May 27, 2007)Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ So... More About: Babel , Part , Mediate , Babe
Eye-Opening Statistics of the Week: Child Mortality
2007-05-25 04:33:00 UNICEFAccording to UNICEF, the mortality rate for children under age 5 in Sub-Saharan Africa was 17.4% in the year 2002.The worst rate was 28.4% for Sierra Leone.By comparison, the rate for the United Stat es was 0.8%, and the best rate in the world was for Sweden at o.3%,(for the complete chart of all nations, see http://www.childinfo.org/cmr/revis/db2.ht m )Child mortality rates, once on the decline in the poorest countries, are now a major source of concern among world poverty experts. Here is an excerpt from "The Global Citizen's Handbook" (Harper Collins, 2007), a report from the World Bank on the biggest economic challenges facing our world:"Child mortality has declined in every region since 1960, when 1 in 5 died before the age of 5. By 1990, this rate had fallen to 1 in 10... In low-income countries today, 1 child in 8 dies before his fifth birthday... Just five diseases - pnuemonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, and AIDS - account for half of all deaths in children... In count... More About: Statistics , Opening , Week
Over-Mediated, Part III - In the Words of de Zengotita
2007-05-23 04:33:00 This series of posts is largely based on the work of anthropologist Thomas de Zengotita. I highly recommend his latest book, "Mediate d." (Bloomsbury, 2005) Although the following quotes cannot come close to summarizing de Zengotita's ground-breaking ideas on media and culture, they can serve as an introduction to some of the basic issues he tackles. (My comments are in italics.)At the most general conceptual level, mediation means dealing with reality through something else. (8)Of course, one could argue that any experience, any sensation, or any thought whatsoever is mediated in some form. From his work in general, it seems that de Zengotita defines “something else” as anything created or manipulated by human beings as opposed to the unadulterated natural world.There is no going back to reality just as there is no going back to virginity. We have been consigned to a new plane being engendered by mediating representations of fabulous quality and inescapable ubiquity, a place wh... More About: Words , Part
Responsible Shopping - Part 1
2007-05-22 03:13:00 1. Off the top of your head, write down ten products that you consume on a daily basis. My ten are:CoffeeToilet PaperSoft DrinksGasolineFrozen Microwave DinnersBananasCanned Soup and PastaChocolatePaper TowelsPopcorn2. Choose the three products you spend the most on and list three brand names you are likely to buy for each. My favorite brands are:Gasoline - BP, Exxon, Spinx (local chain in Upstate SC)Soft Drinks - Pepsi, Coke, Diet RiteCanned Soup and Pasta - Chef Boyardee, Campbell's, Progresso3. For each brand, find out who the parent company is and what other significant brands the parent company owns. Also find the total anual revenue for the parent company. You can look on the company's own website or at http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/rs/4. Create a chart that displays all the information you have uncovered about your favorite brands. (Note: The limitations of the blog format prevent me from creating a truly user-friendly chart.)Here is a sampling of my chart:BP (owned b... More About: Shopping , Part , Ping
Spiritual Discipline: The Pain at the Pump
2007-05-20 05:23:00 Several years ago, before 9-11 and long before Hurricane Katrina, I remarked to some of my friends that it would be good for our nation if gas prices were to double or even triple. I trotted out the usual arguments about us being too oil-dependent, how our addiction was threatening the environment and poisoning our foreign policy, and about how much higher prices at the pump would be the only way we could get motivated to cut back.At the time, a gallon of regular unleaded was going for about $1.50. Yesterday, I paid $3.08 at my local BP, and some are saying it could reach $4.00 by mid-summer. Like everyone else, I have been whining about about these alarming increases. How come I'm not celebrating? Isn't this what I wished for?Well, my whining is personally motivated. I don't like the crimp in my budget anymore than the next guy. But believe it or not, I still believe that higher prices are the only way that we're going to start conserving oil. The problem is that we've come to... More About: Spiritual , Pain , Discipline , Line , Disc
Vacation Time!
2007-05-12 07:16:00 This will be the last post until at least Sunday, May 20. The wife, kids, and I are taking off for a week to spend some time with my family at a very quiet and remote beach. I plan on taking a "Media Sabbath" as well. This means that I will try not to watch TV, listen to the radio, turn on a computer, or talk on the phone at all throughout the week. I will make a point of playing with my children, having long conversations with my wife and my parents, playing my guitar, drinking expensive beer that my father bought, and sleeping. I can't wait.In honor of our vacation, here is an excerpt from Carl Honore's book "In Praise of Slowness."(Harper Collins Publishers, 2o04, pp.5-6)The work ethic, which can be healthy in moderation, is getting out of hand. Consider the spread of "vacationitis," the aversion to taking a proper holiday. In a Reed survey of five thousand UK workers, 60% said they would not be using their full vacation entitlement in 2003. On average, Americans fail t... More About: Time , Vacation
Over-Mediated, Part II
2007-05-11 05:02:00 In "Over-Mediate d - Part I," I examined how our lives have been immersed in a sea of media influences - television sets, computers, radios, and a host of other technologies that stand between ourselves and a direct experience of reality.These technologies "mediate" for our natural senses. They interpret the world. They decide what information is worth knowing. They tell us what is true.Behind every single one of these information sources are subjective influences on content that are too many to even count. A radio talk show host only takes callers that agree with his point of view. The nightly news decides not to run a particular story because it fears offending a loyal sponsor. An Internet surfer pulls up particular websites on the first page of a "Google" search because a lot of other surfers have already visited those sites.In all of these cases, decisions on content are made for reasons other than the unbiased desire to seek and communicate the truth. These decisions are often m...
RIP: The New Standard
More articles from this author:2007-05-09 07:26:00 One of my favorite new sites, The New Stand ard , folded its operations recently. This is indeed discouraging news for those of us who have grown dissatisfied with corporate and mainstream media. For our sakes, let's make it a new spiritual discipline to better support alternative and independent news sources (see blog entry for April 27) . We do not want to lose any more quality outlets like the New Standard. Their final posting serves as their obituary:The NewStandard was a unique online newspaper founded on the belief that the dominant model and methods of profit-focused news journalism have failed the public interest. Managed by a collective of journalists and published by a reader-funded, non-hierarchical nonprofit organization, TNS was committed to bold, hard-hitting daily news coverage, providing a vetted forum for the voices and issues often ignored in the establishment news arena. Unlike its corporate counterparts, which typically prioritize profits, TNS existed solely to fu... 1, 2 |
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